Italian Guanciale Recalled in Nine States Over Dangerous Listeria Risk
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Over 1,500 pounds of Italian guanciale recalled across nine states due to Listeria contamination discovered during routine testing; no illnesses reported yet.
- Listeria survives refrigeration and freezing, poses serious risk to pregnant women, elderly, and immunocompromised; symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and potentially meningitis.
- Check for lot number 263311US and best-by date 05.16.27; discard recalled products immediately without tasting or smelling them first.
A Popular Italian Delicacy Pulled From Shelves
Two food distributors are pulling more than 1,500 pounds of imported Italian pork guanciale from shelves across the country after routine government testing found the product may be contaminated with a dangerous bacteria. Guanciale — a dry-cured pork jowl widely used in Italian cooking — is a staple ingredient in dishes like pasta carbonara and amatriciana, making this recall particularly relevant for home cooks and restaurant kitchens alike.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on September 6 that Prime Line Distributors, Inc., of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Ferrarini USA, Inc., of Hoboken, New Jersey, are recalling approximately 1,513 pounds of ready-to-eat dry-cured pork jowl products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall is classified as a Class I recall, the USDA's most serious recall classification, indicating there is a reasonable probability that consuming the products could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
What Products Are Affected and Where Were They Sold
The imported ready-to-eat dry-cured pork jowl products were produced at Est. 1937L Bome SRL in Italy on May 21, 2026, and imported into the U.S. on various dates within July 2026. All recalled products share the lot number LOT: 263311US and a best-by date of 05.16.27. Shoppers and food service operators should check their refrigerators and freezers for these specific identifiers immediately.
Prime Line Distributors shipped its products to food service and retail locations in Florida. Ferrarini USA shipped its products to distributors and food service locations in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. The potential contamination was discovered during routine import reinspection testing. A product sample tested positive for Listeria, the USDA said; however, no confirmed reports of illness from the recalled meat have been made.
Why Listeria Is So Dangerous
Listeria is not a bacteria to take lightly. According to the CDC, roughly 1,600 people contract listeriosis each year, and approximately 260 die from the illness. Listeria monocytogenes infection remains clinically significant because delayed recognition can lead to meningitis, sepsis, fetal loss, neonatal infection, and other severe complications. One of the most unsettling characteristics of Listeria is that Listeria bacteria can survive refrigeration and even freezing — meaning simply keeping the product cold offers no protection.
The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems, though it is rare for people in other groups to get seriously ill. Common symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, other symptoms may develop, including headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
What You Should Do Right Now
The USDA expressed concern that some products may be in food service and retail refrigerators and freezers, urging food service and retail locations not to serve or sell these products, and stating that recalled items should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. If you believe you have purchased any of these products, do not consume them regardless of how they look or smell — Listeria contamination is invisible to the naked eye and odorless.
This recall is a reminder of how critical routine food safety inspections are, especially for imported ready-to-eat products that receive no further cooking before they reach the table. As federal agencies continue monitoring the food supply, consumers in the nine affected states should stay alert to updates from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service website, where recall notices are posted in real time. Anyone who has consumed the product and develops symptoms consistent with listeriosis should contact a healthcare provider promptly.